Cherish: Encouraging end-of-life planning though visual communication and interaction.
Date
2022-05
Authors
Moyer, Elizabeth
Major Professor
Advisor
Braidwood, Alex
Rice, Tina
Stewart, Austin
Committee Member
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Altmetrics
Abstract
End-of-life planning, or planning for the care you wish to receive at the end of your life, has been established through research to have positive effects on quality of life for both individuals engaged in planning and their loved ones. Yet despite this, many Americans do not participate in End-of-Life planning. This lack of participation has been explored though the lens of medical and sociological research, but it has not been examined though a design lens, particularly that of how visual design might prompt self-disclosure and reflection on topics of End-of-Life care. Through the development of a toolkit that might be utilized in the home, this thesis asks how design can help families initiate discussion-based End-of-Life planning. Additionally, the design and use of e-textile interactive quilts poses a similar question in a community space. By utilizing the visual reference of quilting and a flexible, discussion-based structure, this thesis presents End-of-Life planning as a less medicalized process and invites casual participation as a means to develop more structured engagement in the topic. By examining the question of how design can address the issue of low participation in End-of-Life care, this project opens up options for tackling taboo or complicated issues with a focus on familial and community support.
Series Number
Journal Issue
Is Version Of
Versions
Series
Academic or Administrative Unit
Type
thesis